The Gloss Investigates: Is This Stitched Mouth Halloween Makeup Tutorial Really That Easy?

There are a lot of amazing Halloween makeup tutorials out there, like everyone’s favorite Pop Art looks. However, it is one thing to be amazed by a dramatic Halloween makeup tutorial online but it’s quite another to attempt to recreate it yourself. There are some that look awesome in videos but when it comes to getting ready for a Halloween party, they would require you to start prepping about 11 hours in advance. To help make your Halloween prep easier, we are testing out different Halloween makeup tutorials to see just how simple they are to recreate in real life.

First up, is the stitched mouth Halloween tutorial from Promise Phan. You probably don’t need me to explain it to you because it is everywhere, but here’s the full thing:

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_0RHwJOwQg]

It’s creepy and kinda cool. The only obvious negative is that you would have to get your Halloween candy intake via a straw. It seems relatively simple to do and doesn’t require a lot of materials so I decided to put it to the test.

Next, you cut off around 7 to 9 different pieces of thread in different sizes to fit your lips. You are supposed to make them gradually smaller as they go out towards the outer corners of your lips but this is Halloween where the less precise something looks is the better, so I went more for random sizes. If you are using a standard thread, Promise layered hers four times then attached it with the spirit gum. I took an easier route and used a thicker topstitching/upholstery thread. (Embroidery floss would probably work too.) To make things simple, I opted to use less threads since I don’t have a very wide mouth. You attach each one to the top and bottom of your lips using the spirit gum, starting with the one in the center of your mouth.

Sort of like Cara Delevingne‘s new lip ring, right? You continue to layer the thread pieces on either side, trimming off any excess, if needed.

Once all your “stitches” are applied, you add the red and brown face paint/lipstick, to make the make the wounds. You can play around with the colors depending on whether you want fresher wounds or scabs. I used the sharp end of the lipstick bullet and applied the red then the brown on top. You could also blend the colors together than use a brush.

If you want your stitches, relatively even, I would recommend that you apply your face paint/lipstick first then add the stitches so you can use the marks as I guide. I tried it out this way a second time. I found that when you apply the stitches, it blends in the paint/lipstick just enough for a realistic wound look.

I chose not to add the needle and thread because if I was going to a party, I wouldn’t want that dangling around the side of my face all night. Check out the finished look:

And here is the close-up:Verdict:

The stitched mouth makeup tutorial was pretty straightforward. As I mentioned previously, the hardest thing is making sure your “stitches” are spaced evenly, if you want a symmetrical look. You should also try to glue the tip of the thread to your face as opposed to the side of it for a more realistic stitched look. However, that is harder to do if you use a thinner thread.

If I was doing the tutorial again, I would make the thread stitches slightly longer so I could actually be able to move my lips and talk. I would also like to see it with a thicker, stiffer thread. Lastly, I would add some blood gel or scar putty to build up the puncture wounds. It is Halloween afterall, so you might as well go for proper creepy.

Overall, if you are okay with not talking much and not eating any fun-sized chocolate bars, I say the stitched mouth is a great look for a Halloween party that doesn’t take a lot of time or a background in special effects makeup.